It’s time to tell the truth. The extraterrestrial growth attributed to the deadlift is a myth supported by brainwashed broscientists. The deadlift does not make you super big despite the claims that it releases growth hormone and testosterone while stimulating efficient nutrient partitioning.

The trick is very simple. Since they cannot sell you steroids, they sell you ideas and powders. There are hundreds of articles claiming that many bodybuilders, Arnold included, got big by doing the so-called big three – squat, bench and deadlift. It’s true, but those exercises were only a part of the complete growth strategy.

Since the deadlift is an extremely taxing exercise, it gives you an opportunity to develop your imagination in various ways. After a hard deadlift session, most people feel broken. It becomes easy and tempting to believe that you have done some sort of a muscle building voodoo that will make you grow “like a weed” and eventually transform you into an “alpha male”.

Out of the big three, the deadlift is the least dependent on muscle size. Many skinny fat dudes with long arms can deadlift high numbers, such as three times their bodyweight or even more, which is why they love the exercise so much:

“The deadlift is our favorite exercise. It is the best. Look, mom, I can lift 5 plates.”

{Boom bam bing! The earth is shaking.}

How do I know this? I was one of those skinny fat maestros who believe that heavy deadlifts will help you join the club of thick muscle fibers.

I remember clearly the days when I was adding plate after plate to the barbell while looking for admiration with the corners of my eyes. Surprisingly, or not, I received it. Many big dudes were wondering why I was lifting so much. I did not have a secret program – only perseverance, luck and a good structure for the lift. Did I get huge? Uh…are you aware which site you are reading?

Everybody says that the deadlift works all the muscles in your body, including those that move your ears, but it is not true. The fact that a lot of tissue is involved does not mean that all of it is trained hard.

The main movers are the hips, the spinal erectors and the rest of the back musculature. As a result, those are the areas that grow the most. The deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for back thickness.

However, growth is not exactly exercise dependent. Some movements are better than others, but almost any compound exercise can help you reach your potential. The mythical status of the deadlift is a result of propaganda, not muscle building magic.

Is the deadlift a decent functional exercise that makes you stronger overall while building a bullet proof CNS and a thicker back?